Smile! You're on a Tampa fan site

By DAVE GUSSOW
Published September 18, 2006

Finding happy fans at the Bucs home opener did not seem to be a challenge for the folks at Fanadu.

To coincide with the start of the NFL season, the Tampa Web site (www.fanadu.com) hired women to talk to fans about the new Web site, pose for tailgating-type photos to post online and hand out promotional cards at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game Sept. 10 and at the Jacksonville Jaguars' game.

Rivergy, a Web site builder, hopes to cash in on the popularity of social networking sites with the fan photos, which can be taken by camera phone and e-mailed or uploaded.

It's free for fans, but the company hopes to attract advertisers and expand into other sports and events such as concerts.

Rivergy is happy with early results.

"The Web site has been getting a huge amount of hits," said Lauren Bleakney, the company's marketing developer.